Friend of Alice
by JJBluebell
Summary: what if someone saw Alice and White Rabbit fight and followed her thruogh the looking glass? someone who believed in fairytales and magic? someone so hurt by life? someone who was Alice's friend? Hatter/OC PLZ R&R reviews encorage me 2 continue thanx
1. Visting Wonderland

As I walk home to my apartment I see my neighbour, Alice, walking into the building with some shopping. I open the door for her and say in my Liverpool accent "hay Alice, so I heard Jacks comin round tonight" as we walk she says "Hay Jackie, so my mom told you huh! Yeah, and its different this time" and I ask "ye? How so?" she smiles as we reach our doors, hers only two away from mine, and says "I really like this guy" I smile warmly and say, as I pull out my keys "good for you, you deserve to be happy. So tomorrow I want all the goss! Ok?" she laughs as she agrees and we both go inside.

I close the door behind me as I enter my empty, lonely apartment and get ready for work. I sit in my room alone looking at my reflection, I see a small, snow white, busty, curved, seventeen year old, (although I tell people I'm eighteen) Liverpool girl with dark chocolate brown lochs, golden blond traced round each layered curl, my emo fringe falling lightly on my rosy cheek, iced blue eyes with light blue and black eye shadow and untouched petal pink lips, wearing fitted, dark blue jeans, a black loose belt with a small silver chain hanging at my waist, bright blue converse and fitted pail blue t-shirt with black vines that read 'The Base'(the name of the club I waitress at), blue striped, fingerless gloves, hanging guitar earrings and a silver chain with a purple amulet necklace, with silver wire rapping.

(click to see amulet - .com/il_430xN.)

I grab my black leather jacket and leave for work, but when I get round the corner I remember my bag and head back to get it. As I turn I glance into the alleyway to see Alice and a man with ponytails struggling, I run to help my friend as she runs after her attacker into a old warehouse and watch helplessly as she falls through a mirror. I stand in shock, reaching out only to see my hand disappear into the glass, I then feel something pull lightly on my hand, dragging me through.

As I land I feel something soft beneath me and look to see that I landed on Alice. As we stand I mutter "sorry" but she doesn't hear me, only grabs my hand when she sees that man from before and pulls me with her as we go after him. After a minuet of running we see him walk into a building after two men who dragged in another, I hear her mutter "Jack" and she goes to follow before I can do anything but take her lead. She checks out the windows and stuff before daring to go in, but when we hear a noise we turn to see a bug like plane thing, with a search light shining brightly from it, as it grazed Alice's arm a green tattoo appeared but nothing happened when it touched my face.

Once inside, we enter a padded room with a small bottle that reads 'curiosity, killed the cat' Alice looks through a small slide thing as I say "Alice I don't like this, lets go" but before anything could be said the door closed and locked then all the walls came closer to us. I start to panic and mutter 'oh my fuckin gods' as Alice dose something with her hair pin. Then suddenly we're falling but Alice holds onto the box we where in as I plummet into the water.

I struggle to get back to the surface, because I never learnt to swim. I then feel a hand pull me up. As we reach the surface I gasp for air as Alice holds me while she swims us to sure, telling me what to do that'll help.

When we reach land, precious land, we crawl up to see a man with a knife, I stand in terror, shaking, as Alice dose all the talking, she offers him money to help us and I immediately take the $5 I have from my pocket hand it to her. He looks at it strangely then licks it! She take out her hand and says "I'm Alice and this is my friend Jackie" his eyes widen as he asks "THE Alice? The Alice of Legend" I lean to her, looking at the man and say "Al, this dudes freakin me the fuck out" he then insists we follow him, so we do, more like Alice dose and I just tag along.

Before we enter a shop he raps an bandana around Alice's arm. When inside I stay close to her as we watch the commotion of the strange shop, until that man comes and takes us to the back. A male Yorkshire voice asks "Would you like a cup of tea?" but only I reply "no tar" as Alice asks "who are you?" the chair turns to reveal a very hansom man in a small top hat, who seems to be stuck in the sixties as far as fashion goes, but it suits him. He then says "a friend, I hope." Alice looks at the man sceptically as I stair at him with appreciation but still unsure of his intentions.


	2. Meeting Hatter

The hat man said "I run the tea shop" as he stood then turned his back to us, while the old man unwrapped Alice's arm, hat man then asked "how did you escape from the Scarab?" as Alice asked "that beetle thing?" I answered "Al used her hairpin…" but before I could carryon he said "and you fell" I nodded and continued "yeah, an now we're totally fuckin soaked" he nodded as he eyeballed us as I spoke. Alice then asked "look, this place…where…what is it?" he gave a slight smile and answered "oh, Wonderland" raising his hands to indicate the surroundings.

I looked around taking in the information given as Alice laughed bitterly and stated "that's a story in a kids book" suddenly looking serious hat man said "dose this look like a kids story to you?" before she can answer I do "no, it really don't" he pushed himself off the desk as he approached us and said "it's changed a lot since then" as he grabbed a magnifying glass of the table. I then ask with a slight glee that he seemed to notice "so it was all real?" he nodded slightly and said "you oysters don't know how to find us, so-excuse me" he took Alice's arm and examined it then continued "you tell yourselves that we don't exist and quite frankly…we'd like to keep it that way" he looks over to me after finishing his examination and smile lightly, Alice rubbing at the green tattoo and asked "why are we called oysters?", as he continues still "that's not comin off, sorry. Only people from your world turn green when burned by the light. it's the suites way of branding there catch" I frown in confusion and ask "hang on, that light it got me to, but I didn't go green. Why's that?" he then walks over to me, looks me up and down and asks "really? Well that's interesting, perhaps Dodo'll know" i saw him glance at my necklace with wide eyes as he spoke.

He then turns to Alice and answers her "And they call you _oysters_, because of the shiny little pearls that you all carry inside."

He turned back now, approaching more slowly this time, watching us with his observant brown eyes. "What do you mean, pearls?" I asked, shifting position uncomfortably under his gaze, the old man interrupted. "A-an she's Alice! Tell him who you are." the man said, looking wide eyed at my friend, "Wow. Really?" hat man let the sarcasm seep into his tone. He circled around Alice and I, "OooOOooo!" he said, and laughed, coming to the old mans side, doing his best to ignore the smell I think, because I know I was. The filthy man laughed as well. The smile fell from hat mans face and turned his attention back to us, slapping the other man on the shoulder as he did so.

"Ratty here, thinks you're Alice." He said, bemused. "Of Legend." he added, just to be clear. He seemed disgusted by is chose to touch Ratty.

Apparently still confused. "Who?" Alice asked, looking at the both of them in turn for answers. "The last, um-" he pulled away from the putrid man, looking down at his hand as he did so, making a face of disgust. "The last time a girl called Alice came here, from your world..." he was circling again, as he explained the story my grandad told me every night as a child. He came face to face with her, looking between us both "she brought down the _whole house_ of cards. Oh yeah." he explained, nodding his head slightly "Made quite an impression. Although that was one hundred and fifty years ago," he said, rounding on Ratty now "it can't be the same girl, oysters don't even live that long." he cast a glance back to us.

"I still want a good price." Ratty said "Wait a minute, we're am _not_ for sale." Alice chimed in, as I stood still pondering about that green tattoo. Hat man held a finger up for silence, then he turned and walked towards his desk, showing us the roll of his eyes, I smiled lightly as Alice seemed un-amused. "Not on the grass." Hat man said sharply, to keep Ratty from following him. "Right..." he sighed as he came to the shelf The stuff here was all a little valuable...to valuable for Ratty, even in exchange for a lovely little piece of work as the oyster he had brought in. He grabbed up a bottle of blue liqued, and turned back towards Ratty again_._ He placed the blue liquid back on the shelf, and instead grabbed some pink liquid, "Here we are." Hat man said with a slight smile as he moved from behind his desk. "Mmm." he walked out, holding it before him like a showman showing off a prized product for a crowd to see. He waggled his eyebrows slightly, and I giggled slightly, with Alice scolding me with one look for it.

"Pink Nectar." he said, dropping the showman pose but not the salesman's charming voice. "Filled with the thrill of _human excitement_. Fifty oysters were drained of every last _drop_ of hullabaloo, so that you, Ratty, can taste what it feels like to win. Just once." He said with charm. Ratty was all but snatching it from his hands by the time he was done speaking. "Warning," he pulled the bottle back, smiling slightly until he continued, serious now. "Don't take it on an empty stomach, and only one tiny drop at a time, otherwise the experience might _burst_ your shrivelled up little heart. Got it?"

"Got it." the man replied eagerly.

"Good. Go." Hatter said, offering the bottle, which was quickly snatched from his hand by Ratty, who hurried out of the room by leaving a snatch of his vile odour behind. The disgust struck hat mans face as he smelled his hand "He really smells." was all he could manage, I giggled again, under my breath this time as to not get in trouble.

"Oysters were drained? What do you mean, drained?" He looked at her a moment, before changing the subject "So, Ratty tells me you're looking for someone." Eagerly she answered "His name is Jack Chase." he took up his cup and saucer and sat himself on the chair by his desk as she continued "He was taken by a man with a white rabbit on his lapel" I just stood there as he looked at us and said "The white rabbit," he began, setting his teacup back on it's saucer "is an organization controlled by the suits. They travel back and forth through the looking glass and ...vanish people from your world to ours"

"Why?" I asked quietly, finally finding my voice "To use. In the casino" He said,

"Use...?" Alice sounded calm, as she quizzed him. "Did I say...used?" He asked hurriedly, quickly setting down his teacup and jumping to his feet in his hurry "I...slip of the tongue. They're fine." he rushed to assure us, flashing a grin "You know...they keep them alive...aaaaand...moderately happy." I looked to him then to Alice and I knew she wasn't convinced and that something was up with this casino.

"How do I get to this Casino?" she asked. Hat man simply said "That's the thing! You don't. Way too dangerous." I saw Alice become a bit stiff to this as he looked at us. "But," he said, "I know some people who..._know_ some...well, _other _people, if you know what I mean. It's one of the privileges of..." he leaned in closer between us, "owning a tea shop" he finished, letting his 'p' pop, making Alice jump as I let out another small giggle. He turned to me and smiled then back to Alice and his smile was gone "Lighten up." he said then skipped across the room and opened up the small dresser, he swung open the glass doors of the dresser with a "Ta-daaaaah!", and examined the coats for a second before pulling two out, one purple and one black.

"You two," he began, as he walked back "should wear these. There'll cover the glow, and stop you from catching a cold. Don't worry bout your coat, it can stay hear,...um..." i looked at him and said "Jackie" he smiled "Jackie! yeah, thanks!" he said standing in front of us, a coat in each hand, offering them to us. I quickly took off my leather cold, damp jacket and grabbed the black one from him. It was warm to the touch and felt good on my skin, cotton, but Alice paused, then looked at me as I put the coat on and I said "what? Am cold!" she then looked back to him and said "we...have a little money. But I understand you don't use that here." He scoffs "Pieces of paper!" he said, amused. "Pointless." He circled around us once more, as Alice asked "Then why would you help us?" he paused then looked over to me and said "Do I need a reason to help two pretty girls in ..._very _wet clothes?" I turned away from his gaze, feeling nervous.

Alice swirled around to face him, eyes hard, and he took in her expression. "Oh." He managed finally "I see. You don't trust me. Fine." he said, vehemently, throwing down the jacket onto the couch next to me. "I am genuinely hurt. Do you know why they call me hatter?" He asked. Realization hit me "Hatter? As in Mad Hatter?" he smiles to me as

Alice looks up at him, eyes flickering over his form, feeling a bit unsure of herself, a little nervous even. "Because you wear a hat?" she answered. Hatter paused, annoyed "No." he said, circling around us once more "Because I'm always there when they _pass_ the hat. So to speak." He moved away again, pointing at her as he said "Philanthropy. Generosity. I mean you...you can call it what you will, it's who I _am_. And right now, looking at you two there,…there's nothing I want more than to help you find..." I smiled at his distress of forgetting Jacks name "Jack." I assisted. "Jack! And return you all to your charming world of children's stories." He propped his arms up on the back of his white chair, watching us

After a moment, she spoke again. "I don't believe you." I shrugged because I didn't believe him either "I know what you're thinking." Hatter said, moving hurriedly out from behind his chair "If I'm the frying pan, then that out there" he gestured towards the window "is the fire." He moved in close once more. "I'll be square with you. I know people who like to help your kind. And if once in awhile I scratch their back..." he spread his arms, looking at us hopefully "They'll scratch yours." I finished for him "Precisely!" he said with a grin. "A lot of scratching."

This time I believed him and I'm guessing Alice did too because she took the coat from the couch as he walked to a door across the room "Do try to keep up." He said as he pulled it open.


	3. the Grate Library

Hatter stepped out the door and onto the weed covered roof, holding the door open for Alice and I. He walked across the roof and right up to the edge showing us the ladder.

"Ladies first?" He said, smiling to us as I dared not look down, unlike Alice, who looked at him, then took one look down the ladder and stepped back. Hatter saw both of our reactions "Right. I'll go first then." he said, then began climbing down, I followed, then Alice.

As I climbed down I felt someone grab my waist, helping me down and off the ladder. I looked up at him in surprise, automatically latching on to his shoulder with one arm and the ladder with the other as I looked down and gasped "holy fuck". When Alice landed beside me I felt her cling to the ladder as well. Hatter looked at us, "What's the matter?" He asked, "Got a thing about heights." Alice answered in a shaky voice and I said "yeah me to" in an equally scared voice to Alice's. "Why couldn't you guys build this city on the ground?" Alice mused, Hatter sighed, "Look at me." he said suddenly, "Jackie, Alice." He said, trying to get our attention again. I looked up to him, my hand was still tightly on his arm as he took my waist and reached out a hand to Alice, who finally looked at him, she took his hand as he began to guided us "Try not to look down, okay?" he suggested. He locked eyes with me as Alice focused on her hand.

It didn't take long to get to wherever the hell he was taking us, but still afraid of the height I stayed only inches away from him and Alice doing the same to me.

After about fifteen minutes we reached the row of doors. He stopped at the second one he came too and knocked three times. It wasn't long before the peep hole opened.

"I'm returning a library book." he said after clearing his throat. "It's a work of Edwin and Morcaw." "How does the little crocodile improve his shining tail?" was the reply, making Hatter roll his eyes and answered impatiently "He pours water of the Nile on every golden scale." the sound of bolts and locks being undone came through the door. The door opened with a creak and a hiss, with an old man on the other side.

"Come on, be quick." he said, and Hatter ushered Alice and I into the elevator before him. Which looked strangle like a bus to me. "Hello Doc." he said, smirking a little as Alice and I practically fell into the seat behind her and onto each other when it started moving. He grabbed at the two poles on either side of him to steady himself, he looked to us and promised "It's alright." I smiled reassured as Alice remained stern. As it came to a hold I went to stand just for Hatter to say "Wait." and the bus dropped the last foot or so and he smiled briefly at to us, I smiled back as Alice rushed to escape the bus, leaving me to follow. However when we reached the door a petite older woman was pointing a rather large gun at us. There was another click from behind us, and the old man, Doc, was pressing a gun into Hatters back.

We all raised our hands in the air as we were prodded off the bus, and Hatter sighed heavily, seemingly annoyed. "Why don't we just put these things away?" He suggested, "Come on, you know me well enough." He said, trying to reassure the two old people. Alice just seemed stood there as I shake with fear, god I hated guns,

"We have our orders." Was Doc's reply as he and the women walked us onto the landing. "Keep that right hand where we can see it." The old women said "It's just flesh and blood." he said with a long sigh. "Right." the old woman said, disbelievingly "We've all seen what you can do with that sledgehammer." Alice and I on either side of him, glancing at his hand curiously, "Did you _like_ the box of comfits I brought you guys last week?" He asked sourly "The cured meats...and the cheese."

"Well, they're all gone." Doc replied, lowering his gun slightly "Well, if you don't treat me with a little respect," he said with a hard smile "you won't get another crumb." They each sighed "I'm sorry, Hatter," the old woman said, sounding distressed as she lowered her gun and clutched it to her chest "everyone's a little jumpy." She turned away and led us down the hall, the man following. Hatter gently placed a hand at the small of my back, guiding me forward. "Everyone's _always_ a little jumpy." He grumbled.

Alice followed walking beside me as Hatters hand remained on my back.

"Where are we?" Alice asked, curious "The Great Library." He answered, "Five hundred years of history hidden here." He said with a sad smile. "Art, literature, law...Rescued when the Queen of Hearts seized power. She'd like nothing more than to see this burnt to nothing." I looked around and amongst the books and artwork I saw people being tended to "Who are those people?" I asked "Refugees." He sighed, coming to lean on the banister standing beside me as I looked out to the people "Those who don't want to be part of the Queen's world of instant gratification." Alice moved to my other side, leaning over slightly to get a better look, "We give them shelter, and try to feed them the best we can, but...it _is_ dangerous. If the Queen found out, they wouldn't stand a chance." he confessed. We stood there for a minute, I felt my tears of anger and sorrow bubble to the surface when I saw a child amongst the people, my Achilles' heel, he looked so lost, so broken, it broke my heart "Why would the Queen want to destroy all of this? Hurt all these people?" I asked and looked at him unashamed. He looked at me taking in my tears "Because wisdom is the greatest threat." he answered truthfully as he wiped away a stray tear with his thumb. "She controls people with a quick fix." I closed my eyes and relaxed into his touch but pulled away as I hears Alice begin to move away from the balcony, we then followed quickly to catch up with our guides

Doc pushed open one of the large two office doors and Hatter stepped in first, me and Alice close behind him. The three of us came to stand before a large desk, the branches of the tree that grew up the right hand wall arching over our heads, I looked up in wonder with a small smile then back to Hatter and Alice, who stood on each side of me. "She's looking for her boyfriend." Hatter said without preamble. "A 'Jack Chance'."

"Chase. His name is Jack Chase" Alice corrected, looking from him to the shadows.

"She needs help. I thought of you, Dodo." He said as Dodo stirred within the shadows, coming out into the dim lamp light where we could see him. "Really?" the butch old man asked sarcastically. "And why would I want to help your oysters...when you know that bringing them here puts us all at risk?" "Oh please." Hatter said snidely. "I've spent years smuggling things more dangerous than this down here." he said with a look in our direction, Dodo smiled depreciatively at Hatter, "You know what rankles most about bloodsucking carpetbaggers like _you, _Hatter?" Dodo asked snidely "Your _gall. _While we risk our lives trying to bring freedom to ungrateful _leeches_ like you, you _swan about_, living the good life." Hatter went stiff at the other mans words, his proverbial hackles rising. "Stop your crowing." he barked "You know I'm on your side." Dodo scoffed "I'm sure you say that to _all_ your enemies." was the cold reply. "I do what's necessary!" Hatter snapped "I kiss what buts need kissing so your machine stays oiled." He bit back "If you can't help us, we'll just leave. Come on Jackie" Alice said firmly, taking my arm and turning to walk away. She was brought back by Dodo's voice though, and turned to look at him, eyes narrowed "Headstrong, isn't she?" he said with a laugh. "Can you help me get Jack out of the casino?" she pressed, "I don't see how." Dodo replied.

"The resistance has contacts in the Casino, right?" Hatter asked, "No comment." was the reply "Use them to find her guy. they can pay you." he ignored mine and Alice's confused looks and pressed on "But I want my usual cut, up front." I looked to Alice wondering what we could pay Dodo with "Pay me?" Dodo said, coming around his desk slowly. "Pay me...with _what_?" Hatter moved around to glance at me and spoke again. "Show him the rock, Jackie." he said, keeping an eye on Dodo as he did so.

"_What_?" I asked, unsure of his request. "The stone, on your neck." I looked from him to Dodo and back again. Then cling to my necklace "No fuckin way. My grandad gave me this" I hissed "It's all you have, Jackie!" he whispered back, meeting my eyes now.

"No! fuck off!" Hatter nearly jumped as Dodo suddenly appeared in front of us, snatching up my hand away and looking at the necklace himself. He went very still for a moment, then looked down at Alice's hand and raised it to examine her ring the way he had my necklace.

"It's not possible." he hissed, and I watched as she snatched her hand hurriedly from him.

"Where did you two get these?" Dodo demanded. "It's none of your business, there not for sale." Alice said flatly, shifting her position, standing in front of me for protection. "WHERE DID YOU GET THEM?!" Dodo bellowed, advancing on us now, "W-What is it?" Hatter asked

"Your Oysters are wearing the _Stone of Wonderland _and _the Cats Grin Amulet_." Dodo said, looking at him briefly. we were wearing _what?!_ "That's impossible. The Cheshire Cat was banished, like seventy years ago" he said quietly "I'm never wrong." Dodo insisted, moving forward again, and forcing Alice to move back taking me with her,

"Jackie, Alice, Where did you get them?" Hatter demanded, though not so harshly as Dodo had "Jack gave it to me!" Alice insisted, looking at him briefly with pleading eyes, "my grandad gave it to me before he died" I offered "Jack? Your grandad, what was his name?" Dodo asked. "Jack Chase! The guy we're looking for!" she shouted, getting angry now. As I looked back to Hatter with pleading eyes and said "Chester, Chester Cattman" I took a step back "aahhh! Chester Cattman, the Cheshire Cat had a family who'd of thought?! Now Jack Chase, Well where did he get the ring?"

"I don't know!" she said, and I began to shake in fear

"GIVE IT TO ME!" the man roared.

"No!" she shouted back, defiantly. He then ordered "Take her out!"

The click of a cocking rifle seemed to echo in my ears as I yelled "you fuckin touch her an I'll remove your kneecaps" and Hatter hurriedly stepped between the old woman, who held the gun pointed at the both of us, with wavering hands.

"Are you crazy?!" Alice cried as the gun was pointed directly at my chest.

"Stop, just wait!" Hatter said, holding a finger up to the old woman. "You're in way over your head, Hatter." Dodo growled. "Just give me one second to talk to them, okay?" Hatter insisted, pleading for time, trying desperately to defuse the situation.

"It controls the Looking Glass," Dodo said, pulling out his own gun now, the three of us take a step back. Alice and I raised our hands, but Hatter didn't bother. "You know that."

My heart pounded in my ears and my breathing came fast and shallow as I began to shake worse than before, tears forming and burly able to stand, I really, really hate guns.

"Calm down, put the gun away. I'm sure we can all get what we want here." Hatter said, eyes shifting between the three gunmen/woman. "Look, no one is getting this ring." Alice said, making Hatter and I look back at her with a flash of annoyance as I say "Al, do me a favour and STOP talking". Dodo came closer again "We've been waiting for a break like this for years, now it falls into our laps... And not just the ring but also the Cheshire Cat descendant with the Cats Grin amulet" Hatter looked to us, then me and saw the tears and fear in my eyes, placed himself between Dodo and us girls, one arm out protectively, "Stop waving that thing around, you're scaring everyone." Hatter insisted, "If we can return the Oysters, back to their world, maybe we can save _ours_." He rabbles on

"Put the gun down!" Hatter repeated. "Think about it," Dodo insisted, and we all the almost psychotic gleam in his eyes "the Queen reduced to mopping floors. It'll be just like the old days." Hatter glimpsed back at Alice and I again "Justice, reason, and the rule of law!" Dodo cocked the gun and grabbed the barrel of the gun "STOP THIS!" he shouted just before he was shot in the chest and blown backwards into a stack of books. As I saw him go flying Alice and I screamed, but when I went to run to him Alice grabbed by arm to hold me back.


	4. Who Am I?

The tears I'd been fighting back poured over as I looked to Hatters body laying lifeless on the floor as the old women yelled "you shot Hatter?" "we don't need him anymore, the ring is our ticket out of here" Dodo preached, Alice suddenly pushed Dodo to the ground and grabbed my hand, pulling me with her as she ran. I then heard a gun shot and turned slightly "Leave them alone." Hatter voice chimed menacingly "Or believe me, the next one will be aimed at your head!" I smiled through my tears and went to run to him but Alice grabbed my hand once more and dragged me with her.

When we reached the bus Alice started pressing buttons as I said "we have to go back! We have to help Hatter" but she looked passed me to the sound of running feet, I turned to see Dodo head for us, but before he could reach us Hatter full body tackled Dodo.

Alice and I both shouted in union "Hatter!" "Its the blue button!" he shouted, Turning his attention back to Dodo, Hatter landed a solid blow across the man's face, though he was soon repaid in kind and thrown off of Dodo, rolling quickly to his feet. Hatter collided with the wall, "Go Jackie! Hurry up and press the blue button!" His voice came out strained he aimed his fist directly for Dodo's face, but connected with the stone instead.

The pillar sprayed ships of stone and dust as Hatter snarled "Lucky." Dodo, retaliated by kneeing him first in the stomach, and then in the face, sending Hatter flying backwards onto the floor. As I watched this and turned to Alice as she went for the blue button, I ran from the bus to help Hatter hearing Alice scream my name in protest. Dodo pinned him down and proceeded to bludgeon his face with one of his massive ham fists. Suddenly, I screamed "GET AWAY FROM HIM" and a purple shudder entered the air, throwing Dodo half way back across the pathway. I stood in shock then turned to see Alice helping Hatter up.

I ran to his over side and helped carry him hurriedly to the bus while Alice asked "how did you do that?" I shook my head and said "not a fuckin clue" Alice let him fall to the floor of the lift as she hurried towards the drivers seat, looking for the blue button and pressing it without a moment to spare while Hatter sat clutching his chest.

"How bad is it?!" Before I even realized what was happening, I was straddling him and pulling at his shirt, I froze "Body armour?" Alice said almost disbelievingly as she looked on to us. I gave a sigh of relief and asked "you expected to get shot?" he smiled lightly and said "I always expect to get shot" I gave a small laugh in response "You're not even wounded!" Alice said, kneeling down, slapping him on the chest where he'd been shot, making him cry out even louder.

"You lied to us!" I cried out, my relief drained out by anger "I was trying to help you!" he rasped "By _selling_ my necklace?" I demanded furiously as I stood "Well I didn't know it was the Cats Grin Amulet did I?!" He winced "Well you could have asked before bringing us here!" Alice shouted. "You wouldn't have come." Hatter said, "You're damn right we wouldn't! He almost _killed _us!" Alice continued "Yeah, well, _after_ he shot me!" Hatter snapped, opening his shirt and pointing just to remind us who, of the three of them, had been shot "Don't!" I commanded, and he fell silent "Tell me the truth, what is the Stone of Wonderland?" Alice asked "It's a big deal." Hatter replied, "It was mined by the ancient Knights to power the looking glass. The door that connects our world to yours."

"Knights?" I asked, anger fading a little to be replaced by curiosity.

"They were all wiped out a long time ago by the Queen. She took the Looking Glass and ,of course, the stone." he explained, wincing as he spoke. "How did Jack get a hold of it?" he asked as Alice stared at her ring, clearly wondering the exact same thing. The lift shuddered to a stop and the door opened out onto the narrow sidewalk where we had first arrived.

Alice stormed off first Hatter and I following her at a calmer pace. As we walked I asked "Hatter, what was that? That thing with Dodo? You know the… purple… shuddery, thing?" he looked to me and said "that was one of your gifts. You see Chester, the Cheshire Cat, could do all sorts of things because he had that" he pointed to my necklace "that amulet, when worn by someone within Chester's bloodline, gives the wearer certain gifts, invisibility, force field, energy blasts, that's what that was back there, plant growth and manipulation, Healing, immortality, replication, that means you can copy your gift and give them to people, and I think that's it" I stop in my tracks and say "wait, immortality? That cant be right, my grandad died a few years ago! And I think I would have noticed if I had any of these before" Hatter stands in front of me and says "Wonderland gifts don't work in the oyster world. that's one of the reasons Chester was banished, he wouldn't give the Queen what she wanted, immortality, and she couldn't kill him so…" I nodded in understanding, then laugh "now I know why grandad always made the Cheshire Cat into the hero, when he read wonderland to me as a kid" Hatter gave a small laugh as well as we picked up the pace to try and catch up with Alice.

"Where do you think you're going?" Hatter demanded as we finally caught up to her

"_Anywhere_ but here._" _she snapped, clinging to the tree and carefully avoiding looking over the edge. I rested on the wall as I watched her "There are 'no-go' areas in this town." He said, annoyed. "Well I don't believe this is happening!" Alice cried, sounding stressed and confused. "This place! You people!" she shouted, "This is all _too weird!_" she cried. I looked up and said "I think it's kinder magical myself" earning a smile from Hatter and a frown from Alice. "Look, just calm down." he insisted "I'm going to try and get you home, okay?" Hatter tried to use a soothing voice "Oh _really_." She said disbelievingly, moving around the tree once more, forcing him to follow after. "Yes! Really, I could-" he let out a huff of annoyance as he had to turn around again to try and catch her. "Could you just..._keep still!_" he said, very obviously annoyed as they finally came face to face again.

"And what's in it for you?" she asked bitterly "Let me guess, you want your usual cut up front?" "I don't blame you for being angry." Hatter said defensively. "I acted..." hmm, what was a good word "impetuously..." He offered "like a prick" I muttered but he looked at me as to say he heard, his face full of sorrow "Selfishly!" Alice shouted at him "You acted _selfishly_!" "Whatever word you wanna...use. Just let me make it up to you!" he insisted, looking back and forth between us "Alice, Jackie, this is a dangerous place. Trust me, you're going to need my help."

Alice gazed at him, somewhat calmer now as she took a breath, as I said matter-of-factly "trust is earned" Hatter shrugged "then I'll to my best to earn it" I looked to Alice raising my eyebrows, asking silently what she through "Fine. But if I think that you're lying to us, I will beat you within an inch of your life." she said in a warning tone "Right." He muttered Alice stared up at him for a moment longer before nodding slightly and stepping back. "Right!" Hatter said with a grin as I walked to his side with a small smile, rubbing his hands together. "We'll stop by my shop first to grab a few things and make our plan."

"Lead the way." I said with the same butter couldn't melt smile, he returned my smile and turned on his heel and began leading the way back to his shop.


	5. Like not Love

Hatter strolled along the sidewalk with Alice and I close behind, both of us holding the wall as we walked. "The looking glass is the only way to get you back home, and it is here in the city, but it's the most heavily guarded piece of kit in wonderland." Hatter explained, frowning. "I've got to find Jack first." Alice said firmly "Have you not heard a word I said?" Hatter asked as he stopped and turned to us. All stopping. "Look, I don't know how he got mixed up in this, but I know he's not a thief." Alice declared. "He was trying to surprise me, and sweep me off my feet...so, somehow he got a hold of this ring and it has landed him in a pile of trouble... If it wasn't for me, he'd be home safe." she insisted. "How did he get hold of it?" I asked, both Hatter and I looking at her quizzically. She shifted uncomfortably under our questioning glare and dodged around Hatter.

"Well I don't know." she said "The point is, I'm the only one who can get him out of this mess." she said as she kept walking, refusing to look back at either of us. "And how do you figure that out?" Hatter asked. "Well," she said "I've got the ring, I can use it to negotiate his release." she made it all sound so very simple.

"Ahh, no. No." Hatter said, bringing her to a stop.

"No?" she asked, "No. You can't negotiate with the Queen. She's crazy-You have to cut your losses, get the hell out of here while you still can!" he argued "No, I can't just abandon Jack. He's innocent." she insisted "And besides...I like him."

"Oh, you like him." I said sarcastically as I butted in "well what bout me Al, huh? Am innocent to? All I did was try an help a mate in trouble and the next thing I know people are tryin' to kill me!" I yell, annoyed at her "Yes. I like him and I know that" Alice said firmly, Hatter huffed and moved around her now walking beside me. Hatter turned to her "Trust me. I-I know a thing or two about liking people, and in time, after much chocolate and cream cake, like turns into 'what was his name again'." He stated "No, not in my world." Alice said, annoyed "I have a bad record, with liking guys..." She confessed "There's a shock." Hatter said caustically, turning and walking away again making my anger float away with a small giggle. She moved quickly to catch us up, talking as she did "And this is the first one that has meant anything. There is no way I am going to give him up now." she said.

Hatter refused to reply, though, an I just huffed in anger because yes, Jack may be innocent but was she really willing to put all our lives in danger for a man she likes, not loves but likes. Hatter slowed to a stop, stepping in front of me, holding out one hand to keep me and Alice behind him "Stay close." he told us, moving forward until we reached the telephone box by his shop, ducking behind it I clung closely to him, so close I could smell him, sweet tea, peppermint, musky leather and a forth scent that I guessed was his own, sweet and bitter, that's what Hatter smelt like. We looked to see that there was a full royal flush hovering around his shop. Things only got worse as Ratty was there on the steps, talking with the ten of clubs. "You work with rats long enough and you turn into one, ey?" Hatter observed bitterly. "What the fuck is that?" I whispered from behind his shoulder, "Nothing I've ever seen before." Hatter replied as he observed the man with the rabbit head as he threw one man over the edge, making Alice and I let out a little gasp of horror. "Wait..." Hatter murmured more to himself than to us as he narrowed his eyes towards the rabbit. "No, it can't be..." The strange man swivelled around and seemed to look directly at us. He strode down the steps, heading straight for us.

Hatter stretched out a hand and pushed me and Alice back and out of sight behind the phone booth, we walked away quickly but stopped when Hatter glancing back over his shoulder "we should run! RUN!" Hatter said, spinning on heel and grabbing Alice by the shoulders and all but throwing her forward. "RUN!" he shouted, as he grabbed my hand, making me run with him. "Quickly! Come on!" he shouted, as we ran in front of Alice. taking a hard left into a covered ramp that led downwards. He paused briefly at the end as we waited for the Alice to catch us up, still holding my hand tightly "That way." he instructed Alice, pointing in the direction of the dock, as we ran. "Down here. My smuggling boat!" Hatter called as he jumped hurriedly into the small motor boat, pulling me in with him, Alice jumping in to.

"Quickly!" he shouted, leaning over and opening the engine, pulling at the cord there to start the boat. "Hang on, there's a knack to this… Which apparently I have never learned." he remarked bitterly and rushed to the front of the boat instead, while Alice and I quickly untied the rope keeping the boat at the dock, then took our seats, mine beside Hatter and Alice on the bench seat behind us "Come on!" he shouted, banging on the tried the ignition once more and the engine roared to life. "Yes!" he shouted, and he drove the boat away from the dock.

As we speed away Alice asks Hatter "where's the casino?" and just replies looking back to her slightly "I'v told ye, ye cant negotiate with the Queen, but the White Rabbit is a different kettle of onions. Perhaps they'll do a deal, it's a long shot, it's the only one we've got." I look to him and say with a small smile "we?" glancing at me he says "I don't know if you noticed Jackie but my shop was ransacked. Am homeless, am a target not only for the suites but for the resistant's as well. There's only so many place's in Wonderland I can hide. The way I see it I've only got one option" never taking my eyes of him Alice asks coldly "which is?" he answers "go back with you, to your world" he glances at Alice, then me, then back out to sea as I say happily, bumping my shoulder into his playfully "wont be so bad, you can come live with me, I'll get you a job at the club an that. We'll be ok" he flashes me a warm smile in return and I can practically feel Alice questioning gaze. We then hear and see a scarab coming from behind "before we do anything we have to shake that royal flush" Hatter says and fires up the engine, straight for shore.


	6. Whats That?

Hatter drove the boat in shallow water and leaped out onto the grass. He reached out his hand to help me out and I took it with a smile and a kind word, once my feet where firmly on the ground he then gave Alice offered his hand to Alice but she refused and got out herself. Hatter went to get large tree limbs to cover the boat and I helped saying to him "don't worry bout Alice, that thing with getting out on her own, it's only because she doesn't like help, thinks that it makes her weak. I on the other hand quite enjoy being the damsel in distress, I like the attention, if that makes me vain, then so be it." he laughed with me as we began to cover the boat

"I don't know who that weirdo is…leading the posse but he's got one hell of a nose for blood" He said, as we climb up to Alice dusting stray bits of leaf and bark off of his hands "And this is the place to find it." His voice was grim and beside him, Alice's, as well as my own, eyes went wide as roaring echoed through the woods "What was that?" Alice asked in a hushed voice. "There's things in these woods that defy imagination." Hatter replied, a shiver ran down my spine at his words.

"Come on, we haven't got much time." Hatter said grimly, as he stood on a small hill in front of me and Alice. Hatter sighed "Look, we can't shake the posse. There's only one thing left to try." He said "What's that?" Alice asked. "Lead them into a trap." He replied with confidence. He moved away again, Alice and I following him in tow, when the roar echoed through the trees again, bringing Hatter to a stop and making Alice gasp beside me, instinctively I reached out to him, grabbing hold of his arm. "Did you hear that?" she asked. "Yep, you two should find a tree that you can climb." He said, breaking out in a sweat even as she pulled away from him. "What?! Why?" we both demanded, "The trap we talked about?" Hatter said, "This is it. I'm the bait. Go." He said firmly, "Wait! What is it!?" Alice shouted after him, but he ignored her and kept moving "Tell us!"

"It's the Jabberwock." He answered. I was staring to get worried, and not just for me, but for all of them. "What?" I said, releasing his arm as I did. "Jackie, Alice," Hatter said firmly "less of the questions, just get going!" He urged, taking one side of each of our shoulders and pushing us away. We just turned back round and Alice demanded "You're going to lead this thing back to the posse?!" both of us waiting for his reply "Yes! After it gets a good look at me! Now could you just _please_ go?!" he said fervently, though it was more of an order than a request. Alice's face dropped "_That's_ your plan?" she demanded, and I said "nar, don't think so. I refuse to leave you here to get killed, because this is a fuckin stupid plan" and he shouted "If you don't-…"

Hatter's words were cut off by a very load roaring from behind us. I froze as I looked at the beast "RUN." Hatter shouted so I did, but for some reason we all ran in different directions, Hatter left, Alice back and me right, and the Jabberwock seemed to think I was the best choice and ran for me. I ran as fast as my feet would carry me, hearing Hatter and Alice call my name, terror running through every vain in my body. When a large thud shuttered the ground beneath me and I could no longer hear the large footsteps, I looked back to see the Jabberwock laying on the ground, and watched in amazement as vines and tree roots rap themselves around it holding the beast down, every vine and root he broke replaced with a new one.

I saw Hatter and Alice running to me and smile as they approach "I think I did that" I say as Hatter puts his hands on my shoulders "Are you okay?" he asked, Alice beside him gasping for air, then pulling me along behind him as I tried to catch my breath also. "Yeah." I say "good" is his reply as he takes my hand and we all run side by side as fast as possible. "Come on!" Hatter shouted, urging Alice to catch up. Suddenly I felt myself falling. Into a spiked pit! When I landed I looked to see that I was on top off Hatter, his hand still in mine. Alice at our side, thankfully we were all uninjured.

"Ow." He groaned, I looked up to him as I rested my hands on his chest "You two okay?" he asked, gasping for breath. I nodded slowly "Pretty much." Was Alice's reply. Pressing himself back into the ground, raping a arm tightly around my waist and pulling my head to rest on his chest Hatter hissed "Don't move." I closed my eyes as I felt a new heat come closer to us, and knew it was the Jabberwock by its putrid breath I'd smelt as it chased me, I tried to focus on something else as I nuzzled closer into Hatter, listening to his hearts rhythm. I then heard the squelch of stabbed flash a load roar as the heat from the monster disappeared

Hatters hold on me loosened but his arms remained where they where, resting in my hair and on my waist, I stayed where I was, a bit more comfortable than I should have been, but I couldn't seem to find it in me to care. "_Vermin!_" Came a voice from above, making me turn up to look, "Saboteurs! Anarchists!" The quavering old voice continued. "I was _this_ close to catching him!" I sat up, straddling Hatter to get a better look at the man above. He was all dressed in white painted armour that looked rather tatty, and he seemed really pissed with us for stumbling into his pit. "_This_ close!" the stranger insisted again. I then felt something long and hard poking into my thigh, I looked down to see Hatter staring at me. His hat a meter or so away, his dark brown hair sticking up every which way, His dark chocolate eyes locked with my ice coated ones and I could see desire washing through them, I bit my lip and shifted nervously, earning a small grown from Hatter who sat up, grinding into me slightly as he did so, coursing me to gasp quietly. He rapped his arm around my waist and gave me a small smile, I couldn't help but smile back, unsure of myself, then to Alice who was to focused on the insults being given to have noticed what was happening. I suddenly felt Hatter grab my thighs and pick me up as he stood, then set me down, standing extremely close as we just stared at each other for a long moment.

"Degenerate bag heads!" the old man continued, bringing Hatter and I out of our trance.

Hatter opened his mouth to yell at the old man, but I beat him to "Hey! Insult us later, help us now!" Hatter laughed at my words "Are you two alright?" Alice asked, "Uh…" I muttered as Hatter patted himself down, as though double checking, and then looked up at her "Yeah, all here. Jackie?" I looked up to him, he was still standing very close as I checked myself over "no internal injury, so am good" I said with a smile. Alice smiled back at us, satisfied with our answers.

Then a line of rope was throne down and Hatter said "I'll go first, then I can help pull you up" he said to both Alice and I. As he climbed the rope I became transfixed on his perfect jean covered ass, but was brought back to reality as Alice smacked me lightly on the arm and asked in hushed tones "Are you checking Hatter out?" I blinked a few times about to deny it but sighed and said "so what if I am, no law against it" she giggled lightly with me as Hatters voice said "what's so funny?" we looked up and said in union "nothing".


	7. Remember Remember

Once we where all out of the pit we stood in line, Hatter and Alice on either side of me as we continued to be called names by the old armour wearing man. Alice asked "who the hell are you?" he then stood in font of us and started talking real fast, all I court from him was White Knight and Charles. He then asks who she is "am Alice" then he's right in her face "THE Alice?" and she says backing up slightly "no just Alice" he, Hatter and Alice all start speaking but all I notice is how cold my hand feels without his, that is until Charles starts yelling at Hatter for something and then he's just rambling. Hatter turns to me and says "he's mad as a box of frogs" I cant help but smile as he turns back and asks "how the hell have you survived?" and then he's off again and grabs Alice's hand, she pulls it back quickly and hides it behind her back as Hatter he says "back off grandad the ring stays on the lady's finger, ok?".

Charles falls to his knees and starts thanking god or something. Hatter then grabs my hand and Alice's arm leading us away and says "O-k, we need to get away from him before he gets us killed" I look at him as he lets go of Alice but not me as she say "maybe he can help us" looking at her like she's mad he says "have you forgotten about the weirdo who's tailin us? This…freak show, is goanna draw attention, Jackie help me out here" before I get a chance to speak she says "this knight has lived out her for this long maybe he knows a thing or two" then turn to Charles and asks "Charlie there's some very bad men who are following us, who want to kill us and steel the ring. Do know anywhere we could lay low for awhile?" Charlie just continues praying and Hatter simply says "an you wanna put your faith in him?" I go to him and say "yeah, he might be nuts, a hundred and fifty years old and dressed like a car crash, but he's a survivor" Charlie then stands and says "and I'm not deaf. Just Alice I would be honoured to escort you, your goods, female companion…uh…and…vessel to my sacred kingdom" Hatter just turns to me with anger and says "did he jus call me a vessel?" I smile sympathetically raise my hand that isn't holding his to rest it on the base of his jaw and say "don't take it personally babe" he smiles warmly with surprise as Charlie says "off we go" and my hand leaves his soft warm cheek.

We walk over to the horses, Alice climbing onto Charlie's as Hatter climes on the other one, offering his hand to help me up. Once seated I rap my arms around his waist and we ride, following Charlie in silence. After about ten minuets I just need to ask "Hatter, what was that? You know…in the pit?" he doesn't look at me as he says "that ..was ..um. That…was the …natural reaction, to a man having a beautiful woman, sitting on top of him" I rested my chin on his shoulder as I asked with a large smile "you think am beautiful?" he turns to look at me, and smiles when he sees my smirk "yeah, I do" he turns back to the path and I say "thanks, your not to bad yourself." I can see him smirk as I carry on "no ones ever called me beautiful before" he turns to me in disbelief and asks "really? None of your boyfriends ever said you were beautiful?" I shake my head and say "I've only ever had two boyfriends, the first when I was seven, so that doesn't count, and the second … well… lets just say he wasn't who I thought" Hatter heard the sorrow in my voice and asked "well if he wasn't who you thought, who was he?" I didn't answer him, instead I looked down feeling tears run down my face. Hatter stopped the horse and turned to me "Jackie? Who was he? Did hit you?" I shook my head and laughed bitterly "men hitting me I was used to. My dad was a drunk, used me an my brother as punching bags, but what Vinny did…"

I couldn't hold back the tears as he asked with anger and sorrow "did he…force you?" I shook my head again "no, he made me do other stuff and he tried but …luckily my grandad, must have noticed I snuck out and came to get me, he got there just as he was …about to" as I cried Hatter took me in his arms trying his best to sooth me "the worst part was…even when he was doing all that…he still acted like the sweetest person, like what he was doing was normal" Hatter cupped my face in his hands and said "Jackie look at me" I did as he asked "I promise you, that as long as I breath, no one will ever hurt you again, ok?" I nodded with a weak smile as he wiped away my tears and kissed my head lightly.

"everything ok back there?" Alice shouted from further on "yeah, jus got me foot caught in some vines" Hatter assured them and Charlie said "well come on then" and we head back on track.

Just as I was dosing off, laying comfortably on Hatters back, my arms round is waist, when he asked "Jackie?" not bothering to move or open my eyes "yeah?" I answered "I don't wanna upset you, but can I ask a question?" still refusing to open my heavy eyes I said "sure, shoot" and he asked "you said your dad hit you and your brother, but then said you lived with your grandad" I sighed sadly and explained "I was thirteen and at a friends house, there was a fire, they said it was coursed by a cigarette falling into some of my dads spilt beer. Michel, my older brother was asleep upstairs. They where both dead long before the flames got them. After that I was on my own, my mum died having me, so the only person to look after me was the grandad I never met. He lived in New York, the same apartment I live in now, and it was good for a long time, then the Vinny thing happened and it took about a year for things to get back to normal. Not to long after, he died, so I got a job at this club, nothing seedy, just a waitress. I get by, but it gets kinder lonely sometimes" I turned my head to look at him and saw that he was now the one crying, he wiped his face, turned to me and said "am sorry, sorry you had to go through all that" I shrugged and said "I'm ok, besides, I've got you and Alice lookin out for me now, so no worries" he smiled brightly to me and said "ye, no worries" then I rested my head on him again and feel into a heavy, happy Hatter filled sleep.


	8. Truth Time

I wake to Hatters voice "Jackie, come on love, we're here" I wake with a small smile as he helps me down and pulls away some bushes to reveal a old ruined kingdom. We walk as Charlie tells us what happened here and how the Hearts destroyed everything.

We walk into Charlie's camp and sit as he peepers dinner, Alice placing logs on the fire. Hatter comes over to me as I try to concentrate and says "what you doin?" I look to him and say "am tryin to get a something to grow, like I did with the Jabberwock" he nods his head and says "good, its good that your practising. God…look at this place" I stair with him as we look at the ruins as the sun begins to set and say "I know, it's beautiful and tragic all at once." he smiles to me and says "try to focus your emotions, Chester once told me that his heart was his key" I nod in understanding and ask "who are you Hatter? I mean you know all this stuff about me, and I only know your name"

he smiles to me and says "am no one, jus a kid no one wanted. Never had any parents, just my auntie Flora and her husband, mum left when I was born, didn't even care enough to name me. Flora was good to me, did her best, she was a strong headed women. Alice reminds me of her, she joined the resistant's when I was twelve, fightin the good fight, but she was found out when I was bout sixteen, hear and March Hear, her husband. So I joined up to, for her, but I was just a kid. They tortured and murdered her right in front of March, he went completely insane, homicidal, but she never broke, never told them anything. He changed his name to Mad March, an started workin for the queen as a hit man, that was till he pissed her off and she had him killed, but I think…I think that she brought him back. That weirdo, with the rabbit head, I think that's him. I wonder sometimes, what she'd think of me, Flora, how I turned out?" I look at him with sorrow filled tears and take his hand, "from the women she sounds like, am pretty sure she'd be proud. After all not everyone helps, takes a bullet, and gives up their livelihood, home and safety for two lost girls" he smiles at me weakly, teary eyed, squeezing my hand lightly. Then we look down to see a vibrant, glistering rose rise slowly from the Earth.

Later on after dinner, Alice and Hatters fight, when she and Charlie sleep. I sit with Hatter, not really talking, I'm gutted that he isn't coming back with us, but I get it. He leans against the wall and I curl myself between his legs resting on his chest, I take his hat from his head and examine it while he stairs at what I'm doing. I notice that the tan top hat has a small tare on the golden fabric inside and offer to fix it for him sometime, he smiles as I place it on his knee and we drift off quickly.

I wake to the sound of footsteps and see Alice as she walks to the throne and places the ring on the skeletons finger, then hangs up the jacket Hatter gave her and leaves. I stand quickly but quietly, as not to wake anyone else, I walk over to the red king and think of a better place to hide it. I remove the ring and walk over to Hatter, taking his hat and tucking the ring into the small tare I found earlier, then place it back on his knee.

I jog over to Charlie's home made table and grab a piece of paper and the old led pencil and write

'_Hatter & Charlie _

_Alice ran, I'm going after her, she's my friend, I cant leave her to do this on her own. You know where we'll be. _

_Love Jackie _

_Oxox '_

I take the note and place it on Alice's pillow, take one last look at my friends and run to catch up with Alice. By the time I find her it's morning and she's asleep against a tree. I nudge her and say "Al, Alice, come on wake up" she wake s with a jolt and asks "Jackie? What are you doing here?" I give her a knowing look, she just nods and stands, as we walk she explains the plan to me, I didn't bother to say I'd moved the ring.

Within the hour Mad March has us, and before we know it we're standing in front of the queen, who recites Alice's plan to us. When we discover the identity of Jack Chase, sorry Heart, I yell "what? Your fuckin kiddin! We came out here to save a poncy prince who didn't even need saving?" I look into Alice's heartbroken face as Jack basically calls her a bit of fun, and take a angered step with a raised fist "you fuckin twat" but before I can continue my assault Alice pulls out her arm to stop me. I look at her as she says, glaring at him "he isn't worth it" I lower my fist as Jack backs her up and slips her something. the queen orders Alice to the truth room and myself to another one.

As I enter I see a bald man smiling at me then suddenly I'm outside my old house, and he says "go in" I shake my head and say "I don't want to" but he pushes me through the front door. It's dark, I don't like the dark, I hear a voice shout "JJ, is that you?" on hearing my brothers old nickname for me I run to the voice coming from my room, but as I enter he isn't there. I take a step inside and ask "Michel?" the door is slammed shut behind me and I turn to see a tall, bearded, brunette man holding a bottle of whisky, and shake with fear as I say "daddy?" he just stares at me with hatred.


	9. Kiss Me

I take a step back in my unfurnished bedroom, as I do, he follows. I mutter to myself "this isn't real! Your dead!" he then says "yes it is, sweetie, and no I ant dead, but you know who is, my Meredith, you killed her!" I shake my head and say "no, it wasn't my fault!" he takes a long gulp of whisky then nods "yes it is! If you weren't born wrong, she'd still be here. You did it on purpose, you killed her deliberately, twisted her inside and bled her dry" I cover my ears trying invain to block him out "and then you killed Michel to, if you weren't such a selfish BITCH you'd have been here, to save him, but no you let him die because that's what you do, you kill everything! You deserved what that boy did to you and more!" I shake my head and scream "NO! STOP IT!" I feel the heated sting as he slaps me to the ground "everything around you dies, your mother, Michel, your grandad, pretty soon your new little friends are goanna die to, your sweet Hatter will suffer the most. All because you just wouldn't leave them alone, coz' you're a SELFISH, HEARTLESS, EVIL, LITTLE BITCH!" he kicked me hard in the stomic with each word as I cryed in a cumbled mess on the floor.

He then bends into me and says "but there is a way, a way to make everything better. Tell me where the ring is and then it'll all be over. Wouldn't you like that? For all the pain and loneliness to go away? To finally be free? Just tell me where the ring is and then I'll make everything better" his offer was so tempting, but I shook my head as I cried.

He stood and kicked me repeatedly then the door flew open and there stood Hatter who screamed "LEAVE HER ALONE" he runs and punches my dad to the floor then picks me up and says "it's ok am here" he quickly and carefully brings me out of the house and then the pain disappears, I look down to see that the bruises that where there just moments ago had vanished. Hatter looks to me and asks "are you ok?" I nod as I cry and lunge at him, my arms tightly around his neck as he hold me close to him. When we pull away he says "Charlie went to get Alice, there meeting us here" then as if on que Alice and Charlie appeare from around the corner, suits chasing them, we all run.

We run into a lift and Hatter presses the top button and Alice asks "up? Why up?" he shruggs and says "do we have a choise?" then Charlie starts rambling about Alices destiny, that's when I notice that his hand is holding mine. Hatter cringes and says "Charlie, now isn't really a good time" Alice looks at Hatter and says "you guys shouldn't have come, you could get yourselves killed" he looked to her and said "well you could have gotan Jackie and yourself killed. Did you give them the ring?" they argue and when he asks "do you really think that the queens jus goanna send you and your boyfriend home?" and I answer before she can "not fuckin likely considering he's her kid" Hatter looks at me "the prince? Jack Heart?" then Alice and asks "Jack Heart is your boyfriend?" she looks at him with tears as the doors open to reveal two suites.

Hatter runs and starts fighting with one as Charlie trys to fight the other, standing in front of me and Alice, but the suite punches him so Alice takes over, kicking the suites ass. I look over to see Hatter smack the head of the other one on the ledge then walk up, wipe his lip, pick up his hat, through it into his other hand then punch out the suite, and I cant help thinking I've never seen him look so sexy.

Hatter comes to us and I have to close my mouth as alice asks "what now?" I look over to the famingo things and asks "what bout them?" we walk over to them as Hatter says "get on" Alice asks if they fly and Hatter says something as I look down like Alice had and she declares "you don't understand, I'm not getting on that" and he says "it's perfectly safe…safeish!" I give him wide eyes as she explains "I have a thing about flying" then suites came from across the landing fireing guns and he replied "well I have a thing bout bullets!" he can see the fear in both our eyes as Charlie grabs Alice onto the flamingo and says "excuse me my dear, but we must be off." then Hatter looks at me and Alice and says to us both "I wouldn't let you do it if I didn't think you'd be ok" with that I clime on as Charlie muses "how do you get it to fly?" he then presses a button and they both go at the speed of light.

I stare and say "fuck that's fast" he then says "yep, hold on" I rap my arms around him very tight as we fly away from the casino. As we fly he asks "why didn't you wake me?" I look at him and say "because she dosent trust you" he turns and asks "so you don't eather?" I shake my head and say "I do, but I need her to trust me, coz right now I don't blame her for not being very trusting, she just had her heart ripped out and stamped on" he nods in understanding as we catch up to Alice and Charlie, then gun fire, two suites shoot Alice and Charlie down and we shout after them. Being brought down aswell.

I open my eyes and can see the sun through the water and faintly hear someone shouting my name, I'm to tired to struggle for air, and instead ready myself for death, and it goes black.

I feel heat, soft sand and someones lips on mine, then pressure on my chest. I open my eyes and see nothing as they burn from the light, I turn to the side and couth up the water I swallowed. I hear a voice "Jackie you ok?" I turn to Hatter, Alice and Charlie and smile weakly, and can only manage a nod. I reach for someone to help me up, Hatter is istantly at my side picking me up, I lean on him for support as I ask "so…what I miss?" Alice smiles, comes over to me and says as she shows me a watch "Jack slipped me this, its my dads, hes here, Jackie, in the casino. I have to go back for him" I shake my head still leaning on Hatter slightly "Alice, are you sure? don't get me wrong if your dads here that's grate, but what if this is some trick, coz lets face it Jack ant exactly been honest with you so far has he?" Hatter raises the arm that isant keeping me up and says "finally a voice of reason" I look at her and she says "hes trying to help me" I nod, know standing on my own, hands on hips and say "you still trust him? He nearly got us killed Alice! Because of him I came face to face with my dead abusive dad, my worst fear! And you still…you know what, whatever, you wanna go get yourself killed, fine, am out! Am done!" I raise my hands in defeat and she says "Jackie, please" I start walking away when Hatter comes over to me, takes my arm to make me turn and look at him "Jackie wait, I know your angery, but we have a plan. Am goanna go into the city to get a message to Catapillor, the top man of the resistantce, you and Alice go back with Charlie, I'll be back in a few hours, we'll meet Catapillor and find out if Alice's dad is here. If so we'll get him out, if not we send you both home straight away. Ok?" I look up to him and say "fine, but am comin with you, coz I'll just end up killin her" I say still angry, he looks like he's about to argue but nods instead.

Alice and Charlie head for the camp as Hatter and I get his smuggling boat and head for the city. As we sit in the boat he asks "so that man, the one I punched in the truth room, that was your dad?" I look to him and mearly nod, he then looks back at the water and says "wish I'd known that at the time, would have givin him more than a fuckin punch" I smile and move closer to him, linking my arm around his and say "thanks, for everything. I don't think I'v said it even once since we met" he smiles to me and says "don't mention it" I rest my head on his shoulder until me reach the city.

We reach the city and as we walk to higher levels I ask Hatter "so who we here to see exactly?" he glances to me and says "Dormie, he worked in the Tea Shop, he's the message man for the resistance" he stops speaking and quickly turns pushing me into a wall, resting his head in the crock of my neck, his body flush against mine, as Suites run past us.

I can feel my body heating up from the sensation of him being so close and then feel his hard cock pressing into my thigh, just like in the pit. I turn slightly to his ear and say "whats your excuse this time?" he lifts his head and says "guess I just like you" the cheeky grin on my face disapers when I see the intensity of his eyes, then I look away and he go's to move back, "sorry" he says, thinking that he's making me uncomfortable or something, so I grab hold of his waist and tie "don't" I look up to him and see the concern as he asks "whats wrong?" I look into those beautiful brown eyes and ask "whats goanna happin to me? If you cant sent us home?" he looks at my lips then my eyes as he rests one hand on my waist and cups my cheek with the other "then I'll make sure your ok, I'll look after you" I give a small smile and ask "promise?" he smiles back "promise" then leans in to me, his soft, supple lips touching mine, full of sweetness and comfort, but as I pulled on his shirt it became a hungery, passionate battle. The kiss lasted for what seemed like hours, but when we remembered oxygen was a necessity, we reluctantly pulled away. We rested our heads against each others as we gasped for air.

After a few moments he broke the silence and said "hay" I giggled and said "hay yourself" he smiles to me and watches as I lick my dry, swollen lips. I lean up to him this time and give him a long tenter kiss, we pull apart at the sound of hurried scared footsteps and Hatter turns the corner slightly to see who it is, then grabs a small mousey man in a suite who panics "AAHHH, NOT THE FACE, NOT THE…Hatter? What do you want?" he holds the man inplace with one had as he looks to Hatter then me with questioning eyes. "jus keep your voice down Dormie. I need you to get a message to Catapillor, we still have what they want, we're ready to make a deal." with that he takes my hand and walks us away from the small man, who I wave goodbye to with a light smile.

By the time we reach the boat its getting dark, and Hatter says "come on, if where lucky we'll get to the horse Charlie left us before dark" I sit beside him in the small motor boat and can feel my eyes close then I shiver with cold "Hatter looks to me and asks "you cold?" I nod and yorn at the same time, he raises one arm and says "come here, you get some sleep, I'll wake you when we get to shore" I don't argue and instead just nuzzle into him as he raps his arm around me and kiss's the top of my head. I fall asleep with a smile and the scent of sweet tea.


	10. Twenty Quentions

Hatter wakes me lightly and helps me to and on the horse, its dark and the stars are bright and beautiful. I am brought out of my trance by Hatter saying "you talk in your sleep you know?" my face flushes bright pink and I panic as I ask "oh my god, what did I say?" I can see his smirk ever so slightly as he says "lets just say I never knew you liked me so much" feeling embarrassed I sigh and pull my hands from his waist, he stops me by grabbing one of my hands and says "hay now, no need for that. All you where sayin was my name ok? Nothing bad or embarrassing, promise" I nodded believing him as I settled my arms around him once more.

"it's beautiful out here" I declare, he nods as I rest my cheek on his shoulder "ye, it is. You know I never really noticed before. Am really goanna miss you" I sigh sadly and say "I'll miss you to. Coming here, meeting you, I've dreamed of such things my whole life, never believed it would ever happen like." I tighten my hold on him ever so, as if afraid he'll disappear "are you happy it did?" he questions, I smile and nod "yeah, the adventure, the danger,… the Hatter" I feel him smile as we stop and I ask "what you doin?" as he gets off the horse he says "it's to late and to dark to get back now. We'll make camp here and leave first thing"

I sit after we lay out the supplies Charlie packed for us, blankets, food, water, axe(for fire wood) and pillows, just encase we needed them, as Hatter finishes lighting the fire. He removes his coat and hat placing them on the ground beside him as he comes to sit by me and says "you ok?" I nod sadly and suggest "lets play a game. How about twenty questions?" he shrugs and says "ok, why not. What's…your favourite colour?" "purple. Yours?" I reply "green. What's your favourite flower?" I smile "Rose. What's your last name?" he held a smiling face and said "my full name is Hatter David Madd, with two d's. what's your favourite food?" I think to myself for a minuet then say "pizza and chips, oh and ice cream. Did you meet her, the first Alice?" he shook his head "no, but my Dad did, he died before I was born. Who was your first kiss? real kiss, not grandad kiss's." I blush at his question and answer "Daniel Peaker, year eight, end of year trip, I was thirteen. Who was your first girlfriend?" he looked up in remembrance "my first real, girlfriend was… Casey Kendal, pretty thing, dumb as a doorbell. Are you a virgin?" I could only nod yes and asked "how many women have you been with?" he smiled and answered "lost count, mostly one night stands. Who was you're first orgasm?" I blushed and confess "never had one."

He looks to me, shock spread over his face and asks "really? Never, even…you know… on your own?" I shake my head "no, I've… tried …once or twice, but…I don't know what the fuck am doing!" he looks at me with that same intensity as in the pit and at the city and I know how hard he is without looking down to his lap, but I do anyway. I can see him through his jeans and feel myself becoming wet, I look back up to him as I lick my dry lips "I could help you out if you want" he suggests as he leans into me I nod lightly just as our lips meet.

I held my breath as Hatter pulled me into a fiery kiss. The minute his lips touched mine all I seemed to crave was more. I slipped my hands underneath Hatter's shirt and roamed his muscular back and chest as he pushed me back lightly to lay on the blanket and pillows beneath us. I helped him undo and shrug off his tie and shirt, never leaving each others lips. I clung to him hungrily as he quickly cast aside our shoes and socks, focusing on getting rid of my jeans. I shimmied out of my jeans, gasping at Hatter's warm, soft touch the moment I kicked them away. He didn't even wait to take off my plain, purple cotton knickers, he just slid his hand inside and plunging his fingers into my waiting wetness. my hands gripped his shoulders in surprise as my hips began moving against his slender fingers, begging for more.

He pulled his fingers out slowly as I groaned in protest. Removing his lips from mine, he began kissing a trail down my neck, between my breasts, cupping them lightly as he passed. He continued down my stomach, hooks each end of my knickers and tugs lightly as he looks up to me as says "if you want, this stops right now, ok?" I nod in understanding and say panting slightly "I don't want it to stop" he smiles up at me then continues with his task, pulling down my underwear with each kiss, then pulling them of harshly. He opens my legs to see my untouched area, finding it with only a small patch of hair. He dipped his tongue inside me and then gave one slow, long swipe of the tongue upward, ending on my throbbing clit. I thrust my hips up lightly, unaware of what to do with myself "Hatter…oh god," I gasped unwittingly, one hand moving down to his as they hold my shaking thighs in place.

I could feel his smile as he licked me up, the way you would lick the bowl after baking, hungrily and fast. I lost myself into the pleasure of his amazing mouth. I continued moaning his name and writhing as Hatter licked and sucked me in the most sensitive of spots. I looked up and saw the stars when he began sliding two fingers inside me as his tongue worked my clit. I felt the warm, tight pleasurable feeling in my stomach explode, I came suddenly and violently, screaming "HATTER!!" my legs shaking and hands clutching his.

I laid there as Hatter rouse, wiping his mouth and chin, and resting against the tree behind him as he looks down to me and asks "enjoy yourself?" I blush and bite my lip as I nod with a smile, while he sits against the tree stroking my bare leg. Then an idea comes to mind. I sat up and crawled to him, full of renewed self confidence. He stares at me questionably as I reach him and lean in foe a kiss but pulled away before he had the chance to deepen the kiss. I kissed down his neck, his chest, running my hands down his washboard abs, until I reached his waist line. I pulled open his belt and jeans, pulling out his large, thick and twitchingly hard cock, looking up to see him examining my every move as I take him in my hand, running up and down his length with my small and inexperienced hand.

Hatter's eyes widened before he groaned in appreciation of my actions. I gave him a small smile just when I tentatively licked his head, tasting his pre-cum on that first touch. He moaned when my mouth enveloped him, and I looked into his eyes as he watched me suck him gently. I hummed gently, sending vibrations through his cock. His mouth was open and he was staring at every move I made. I smiled to myself, realizing that I must be doing something right. And then remembered something one of the girls told me at the club. I took a deep breath through my nose and relaxed my throat, pushed him into my mouth a bit more then swallowed, guiding him down my small virgin throat "Holy shit! Jackie!" he gasped, taking hold of the back of my head, griping my hair lightly. He looked down in glee as I repeated the process several times, then with a tug on my hair and a jolt of his hips, he yelled "JACKIE!" and came deep in my throat, making me swallow every drop.

I took my mouth from his licked clean dick and wiped away any residue as I look to him and repeat his question "enjoy yourself?" he smiled to me as he pulled me into a harsh, passionate kiss by my hair. When he pulled away he rested his forehead on mine and panted "Fuck yes" then released me. I smiled to myself while I reached for my knickers, slipping them on, he asks "where'd you learn to do that?" I turn back to him and see that his pants are redone "I've never done that before. Gabby, a girl in work told me how to do it" he takes my hand as he lays down on the blanket and pillows, pulling me down with him and says "well, remind me to thank her" I giggle to his statement as I rest my head and arm on his bear chest, his arm raped around me, our legs tangled together as we gaze up at the stars, the dim light of the fire outlining us to the shadows. We fall victim to exhaustion and sleep with the warmth of each other as protection.


	11. Jack Slap!

*_I am so sorry about the lack of update! But my life has been crazy bad lately an is only now getting better. Again sorry!*_

I wake from the burning sun shining brightly right into the back of my skull and feel the soft, warm mussels beneath me. I look up to see Hatter smiling down at me and say "good morning" with my inherited cheesier cat grin. He gives me a large toothy smile and says "waking up with a beautiful woman in my arms, defiantly makes it a good morning" I blush at his comment then lean up for a sweet, tender kiss.

When we've packed up and headed out back to our friends I ask, holing his waist tightly "Hatter? What are we now? After last night I mean" he glances towards me and says "I don't know, but I do know that I really care about you Jackie, and last night was more than just a bit of fun to me, an I hope it was more than that for you to" I nod and agree "it was. So now what? We just follow are feet and see where they take us?" he smiles back at me and says "sounds like a good plan to me" I return his smile and hug him from behind, giving his shoulder a quick peck.

We arrive at the camp sight within the hour to find Charlie asleep and Alice no where in sight. Hatter wakes Charlie and asks where she is, then I see a woman's figure standing on the hill above and say "Hatter, she's up there" as I point to Alice. He walks over to me, taking my shoulders in his hands and says "I'll go tell her the news, you catch Charlie up" I nod happily as he leans in for a quick kiss then scampers off to Alice.

I sit with Charlie and tell him about our trip to the city, well some of it, when an alarm goes off and he says "someone has broken through the perimeter! Lady Jackie, go quickly, inform Harbinger and Just Alice. I will do what I can" I just nod and climb the hill and say "HATTER! ALICE! The alarm went off, someone's here!" they run to me, as we rush down the hill Hatter takes my hand and says sternly "stay behind me and if I say run you run, got it?" I smile cheekily and say "not a chance in hell" he shakes his head at me with a small smile as we reach the bottom of the hill and see Charlie tied up.

Then a posh voice with blond hair emerged from the camp and said, holding Charlie's sward "hello Alice, not interrupting anything am I?" on his last word Hatter picked up a large stick and pushed me behind him as he approached Jack "you think you can take me with that?" he glared "am not an old man" I gave Jack an look of pure hatred as Alice intervened in their pissing contest.

I walked behind Hatter zoning out of the conversation when my mind wondered to the many ways I could hurt Jack for what he's done to Alice. However I zone back in as he says "So, Alice, who are you going to trust to get you, your friend and your father back home? A resistance insider and future king who's already scheduled your return trip through the looking glass, who cares for you more than any one else in the world? Or this man?" Jack finished, motioning with a tiny sneer toward Hatter. As Hatter drops his stick I take a hurried step and slap Jack so hard that my hand burns as I shout "WHO THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? A FUTURE KING? SO FUCKIN WHAT! YOU'RE THE REASON FOR ALL THIS! You gave Alice the ring, then abandoned her here and then… you broke her heart! And THIS man, who's name is Hatter by the way, helped us, clothed us, took a bullet for us, saved us from YOUR mother, gave up his home and safety for us and you think you have any right to look down your noise at him! He is a thousand times the man you could ever hope to be you pompous arrogant cowardly twat!" Jack just stand there looking at me in shock.

I hear Hatter chuckle behind me and turn to she Alice gob smacked and Hatter grinning as he walks over to me arms open wide and says "that's my girl" as he gives me a twirling hug. I smile as Jack shakes of my screeching and turns to a gapping Alice and asks "Alice where's the ring?" she looks over to the red king and her eyes go wide as she rushes over and says "it was right here! I swear! I put the ring on his finger!" I then pitch in "and I moved it" all eyes look to me as Jack asks "where is it?" I look to Alice and then Jack and say "if your lying to us, I'll kill you myself. Understand?" he nods and I turn to Hatter and say "I put it somewhere I knew it'd be safe, with someone I trust" I smile at Hatter's confused face as I take off his hat and fumble a bit, getting the ring out off the tear.

I hesitantly give it Jack as he says "thank you my dear" I then hear Hatter say "Jackie, Alice, I wish you all the look in the world" before I have a chance Alice says "but your coming with us Hatter" Hatter backed away with an apologetic look on his face. "I don't think I figure in the future king's plans." Alice had to ask again, and turned to Jack, "He's coming with us, right?" Jack stuffed the ring in his pocket. "The Resistance was very clear, you are to both come on their terms, alone." She glared. "Hatter stood by us!" I shake my head as I look at Hatter "It's not my call to make, Those are Caterpillar's rules, and I will abide by them. Its what's safest for you, your friend and your father." I glare at Jack with still tears and say "my name is Jackie. An Caterpillar can go fuck his rules" Hatter takes my hand to calm me "Hey, I wouldn't wanna go with this guy anyway." He says with sorrow "What? But--what will you do?" Alice asked worriedly.

Hatter pasted a smile on his face, "Me? You're kidding. Believe me, I'll be fine. Besides," Hatter took a breath "you're better off with this guy. Your both better off. Go." And he walked away.

I ran after him and pulled his arm so he turned to me, then kissed him fiercely on the lips then say as his forehead rests against mine "I wont leave you" I can feel my tears fall as he looks at me and says "ye you will, because am asking you to, because you're a good friend and would never desert Alice. That's one of the things I lo…like most about you. Who knows, maybe when this is all over, you an me could do pizza, but for now she needs you more than I do. So go" I nod my head as I lift it from his wiping at my cheeks as I promise "I'm coming back, so don't think for a second that its that easy to get rid of me" he smiles to me and we have a long hug and kiss goodbye.

I say goodbye to Charlie and leave on the horse with Alice and Jack, looking back until I cant see Hatter anymore.

I'm silent the whole trip, even when Alice turns to me and asks every now and then "you ok?" I jus nod, and lie, because I'm not ok, I don't feel safe with the prince or happy that I could soon be going home, I just miss my friends, I miss Hatter. I refuse to give Jack even a nod when he asks. Fucking prick. However my mood lifts when I see a figure standing on a large near by hill above, I'd know that hat anywhere and suddenly I feel safe again.


	12. Zoneing Out

Once inside the Hospital of Dreams we walk passed the bizarre bug chasing receptionist and Jack says to me, while looking at my neck "where did you come by that amulet?" I just look ahead and reply "am the granddaughter of Chester Cattman, the Cheshire Cat." I can see out of the corner of my eye as he nods his head lightly in shock, and we carry on walking.

We walk into a large pool room with a old man with many books, sitting in a boat, in the pool, with a gramophone playing besides him. I assume this man to be Caterpillar. As we cross from the main door to the pool side I hear some of the conversation, as I examine the books within the boat and try to place the tune being played.

From what I hear Alice is getting very pissed about being talked about and not to. I tune out the rest of the conversation as I listen to the music and read the titles of the books, Emotion Poisoning, The Definition of Reality, The Why the World Was, Tea Syndrome: Stage 3, The Potion to Cure Emotion and Huckleberry Finn.

Id blanked out most of the conversation as Caterpillar showed us the patients and such, I even blanked out as we went outside, so I could examine the beautiful garden. Then Caterpillar and Jack showed us to a door. As we walk through we seem to be on a roof and I hear Alice mutter "Daddy" as she runs to the man "Who's this?" he asked shortly.

She stopped in front of him "Its me, Dad. Alice." Alice's dad scoffed. "This another one of your tricks, Jack Heart?" I stood to the side, watching the conversation before me "Don't you know your own daughter? The White Rabbit kidnapped you many years ago. And the doctors adjusted you to work in the laboratory," Caterpillar said, trying to explain things to the man.

I looked into my friends eyes and saw the fear and hope inside, the same fear and hope I'd seen in the eyes of my brother after from saving me from my father, in my granddad when she came to get me and in Hatter when id left him at the camp. The fear of loss and the hope of return.

I came out of my thoughts as Alice sobbed "Daddy" I looked to my crying friend as I heard "Don't--don't cry, Jellybean," her dad said, wincing at the sight of her tears. "Jellybean?" Caterpillar asked, Alice looked up, the hope from her eyes shining on her face. I remembered Alice once said he called her that as a child and said "that right! that's what you called her when she was little, remember?" now standing beside Alice.

"Yes, that's what you used to call me," Alice said, smiling lightly. "When my cat Dinah died, you held me in your arms for a whole hour, and told me don't cry, Jellybean. You remember how you rocked me? Here. Your watch." She walked over to him.

"We--we don't need watches here," he said slowly, his arm reaching out.

"Its broken, and it never kept really good time anyway. But you never seemed to mind." She slipped it over his hand, and clipped the watch's clasp shut. She smiled up at him, lost in the moment.

Then suddenly shots were being fired and I ran to Alice as her father and I shelter her from danger. The Minister of Clubs came, with dozens of Suits surrounding us, and Mad March at his side. "Where's Hatter?" I gave him a stern look as he got no reply. Then Caterpillar disappeared with a puff of smoke, and Alice's father denied her. As they marched us out of the hospital and towards the scarab, someone shouted "Three!" and then Hatter appeared from around the corner on a horse swinging a sword "Hatter!" I screamed.

He calls for Charlie, but the old knight runs away on his hoarse. The Suits grab him and pin him to the ground as March said "what a nice surprise" Alice yelled to them "let him go!" it was then that I raised my hand to Suit holding me and focused my emotions, sending him flying back with a purple shudder and then did she same to the Suites holding down Hatter, sending some over the edge.

I ran to his side and kissed him with longing then asked "are you ok? What are you doing here?" he looked up to me, his soft palm cupping my cheek "needed to make sure my girl was ok" he said, when new Suites grabbed us both up and then March came to us and tried to rip my necklace from me, but as he touched it a purple spark flew to his hand, shocking him away and I grinned my Cheshire cat grin at him as he had us taken to the scarab.

As we stood at the back of the scarab, cuffed and guarded, March came to us and said "the queen will be very interested to meet you kitty-cat" I look at him and say with sorrow "Flora would be so disappointed in you March" he stood stern and asked "what'd you say?" I merely continue "what would she think of this? Of you? That the man she loved has not only turn on his own people, but to the reason that she was tortured and killed, that he'd turned into a monster of all the things she hated and was fighting against" March slapped me hard and I could hear Hatter say "don't you fucking touch her!" whist fighting against his restraints in anger.

I just turned back to him, the bruise on my cheek healing, as he says "hold your tongue, before I cut it out. You don't know nothing bout my wife" I just say honestly "I know that if she could see you now, it'd brake her heart" he then just takes a step back, looks to his feet and walks away, over to Hatter and says "your girls got quite a mouth and knows a bit to much … Its your fault you know, that she's dead. If she weren't so busy taken care of you, then she could have taken care of herself." Hatter looked him square in the eyes and says "I was just a kid. You were her husband, it was your job to take care of her, and besides am not the one workin for the bitch that had had her killed now, am I?" with a punch in Hatters gut he left.


	13. Getting to Know Uncle March

We stood in the throne room, Hatter by my side as Alice stands in a large strange ball. March walks to the queen and whispers something in her ear, she then looks to me and stands. Walking over she says "how could I have not seen it before? Those big blue eyes, just like Chester's. Now girl, will you do what he refused, to save yourself?" I scowl and answer "I'd rather die than let you to live forever, besides, unlike some, I'm not a traitor" she laughs and says "I see you inherited his stubborn loyalty. Tell me girl, how is old Chester doing? Still alive? what are you to him anyway?" I force all emotion from my face and say "he's dead and am his granddaughter, by the way my names Jackie, not girl" she gives a slight laugh to this.

She then turns to Hatter and says "you have been assisting the enemy of my court. You will give us information in exchange for your life" he says nothing to her "if not for your own life, then for your little girlfriends, hum?" he looks to me and I give a small side smile, he then spits at her and says "go to hell you fuckin bitch" she wipes away the spit and says "take him to the tortured chamber and get out of him what you can" as Suites come to take him, he jumps forward and captures my lips in a fiery, passion filled kiss, they tare his lips from mine and he shouts to me "see you on the other side, baby! auntie Flora's gonna love ya!." I can only smile, with tears as he leaves, perhaps for good.

The queen then goes to her husband and asks "why is she in that contraption?" the king then leans in as they begin to whisper and she then turns to Alice's dad, Carpenter, and asks about Alice and if killing her would bother him. I can see the heartbreak on Alice's face as he says "why should it?" I cant help but shout "because she's your daughter! Your Jellybean!" they just ignore me. The king took the queen aside as they began to whisper once more.

She then returns to her chair and announces " I have decided that the girl shall be sent back to her world. For the harsher sentence of banishment is more appropriate." I sigh in relief that Alice will be in the safety of the other world. She then concurs "now as for you, my son. You will spend the night in the eye room so that all of Wonderland can see you for what you really are, and in the morning you shall face the excusers axe." I look to her and shout "you heartless bitch! He's your son! You'd kill your own son to set an example? And you! You're his father, help him! for fucks sake I don't even like him, but even am defending him. You need to grow a spine and you need to grow a fuckin' heart!" then suddenly a pain surged through my skull and it all went black.

When I woke I was tied to a chair with Mad March standing in front of me. My head hurt but only for a moment, then I asked "where am I? what happened?" he took a step forward and said "your in one-a da' touchier chambers and a Suite hit you on da head coz a dat big mouth of yours." I crocked my head to the side and said "you goanna kill me now?" he shakes his head and said "maybe later, but for know I thought we could have some fun." he pulled a knife out and I said "our idea's of fun are really very different" he chuckled at my comment and said "your funny, I kinder like you. It's a shame really that I'll have to kill you, but course, if you jus gave queeny what she wants, we could make quite a team." I look up at him and simply state "I already got a team, but thanks anyway" he nods his head in disappointment.

I ask him "Alice an' Hatter?" he takes a step forward, spinning his blade "the broads bein' taken home and Hatters in the other chamber down the hall. If your real quite, you can hear him scream" he chuckles again as I laugh with him he asks "what's so funny?" I just grin as I see my hands begin to disappear, till my toothy grin and bright blue eyes are all that he can see, then their gone to.

I struggled to get out of my restraints even as he spun round thinking I'd escaped already. I cut my wrists as I finally scurried out of the chair, I was just about to reach the door when a pain erupted from something grabbing my hair hard and tight, pulling me back against a hard chest, with a blade securely at my throat as I turn visible once more. "nice trick sweet heart, but am a blood hound and your blood smells so sweet" he whispers into my ear.

He pulls me by my hair as he walks me out of the room and I ask "where you takin' me?" he just walks me into a room that looks like the inside of a green lava lamp. I hear giggling then something spark with a shout, as we turn the corner I see Hatter tied to a chair, his trademark hat and coat missing, his sleeves rolled up, brown hair sticking up every which way, with a black eye, bruising on his hansom face and blood dripping down his sweet neck as two bald men stand beside him, one tazerered him in the side as he lets out a yell.

I screamed "LEAVE HIM ALONE" then March pushed me to the floor at Hatter's feet and ordered the other two to leave "what ya think kitty? The touchier look suites 'im right?" he chuckled. I ignored his comments and took Hatters face in my hands "Hatter? Look at me, are you ok? Speak to me please!" I began to sob and he said "Jackie?" as if unsure whether I was real or not, then smiled as March said "where's da grate library Hatter?" his smile vanished as he gave March a stern knowing look that screamed _'NEVER' _"yeah, didn't think you'd crack. So I guess there's no point in keeping you alive, but first tell me…do you think whatchin you, da way I watched Flora, will make your girl like me? I hope so, coz we'll make a grate team. don't look so worried kid I'll take care of your kitty-cat." he announced with a large chuckle and a spin of his blade "goodbye Hatter" he said almost solemnly.

Hatter took a long concerned look at my tear filled face, then kicked me back quickly as March came at him with the knife. As March attacked Hatter flew back off his chair and then started to defend himself with it, eventually he manoeuvred the chair so that March would cut his restraints, then punched him, coursing his porcelain rabbit head to crack and shatter.

As March fell to the floor I stood and went to Hatter taking his hand in mine. We looked down at the man before us as he muttered his last words "d…do you…th…think …Flora….w…will forgive me…if I ma…ke it to he…aven?" I hear Hatter say as he stands beside me "cause she will, you know auntie Flora, always forgiving and never regretting, you'll be fine" I glanced to him and saw tears "you...t…turned out good…kid, she'd b…be …so…p…proud." with that his mechanical head lobed to one side and Hatter's grip tightened on mine as he mourned the man his uncle once was and his last moments returned to be.


End file.
